Immune State Conversion of the Mesenteric Lymph Node in a Mouse Breast Cancer Model

Secondary lymphoid tissues, such as the spleen and lymph nodes (LNs), contribute to breast cancer development and metastasis in both anti- and pro-tumoral directions. Although secondary lymphoid tissues have been extensively studied, very little is known about the immune conversion in mesenteric LNs (mLNs) during breast cancer development. Here, we demonstrate inflammatory immune conversion of mLNs in a metastatic 4T1 breast cancer model. Splenic T cells were significantly decreased and continuously suppressed IFN-gamma production during tumor development, while myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) were dramatically enriched. However, T cell numbers in the mLN did not decrease, and the MDSCs only moderately increased. T cells in the mLN exhibited conversion from a pro-inflammatory state with high IFN-gamma expression to an anti-inflammatory state with high expression of IL-4 and IL-10 in early- to late-stages of breast cancer development. Interestingly, increased migration of CD103(+)CD11b(+) dendritic cells (DCs) into the mLN, along with increased (1 -> 3)-beta-D-glucan levels in serum, was observed even in late-stage breast cancer. This suggests that CD103(+)CD11b(+) DCs could prime cancer-reactive T cells. Together, the data indicate that the mLN is an important lymphoid tissue contributing to breast cancer development

Fecal nitrogen as an index of dietary nitrogen in two sika deer Cervus nippon populations

We tested the reliability of fecal nitrogen (FN) to predict dietary nitrogen (DN) in two sika deer Cervus nippon Heude, 1884 populations with greatly differing habitats. One was near the village of Nishiokoppe (area A) and the other was on Nakanoshima Island (area B) in Hokkaido, Japan. To estimate FN, we washed feces through a sieve, and diet was identified based on rumen-content analysis. The diet in area A was mostly composed of grass and legumes of agricultural origin, with browse being only a minor component. In contrast, browse such as deciduous foliage was the main component of the diet in area B. Dietary nitrogen was significantly regressed by FN within specific areas. On the other hand, the DN-FN-relationship had a similar slope but significantly different intercepts between areas. DN-FN-relationships differed between diets with and without an agricultural component, irrespective of browse. Thus, the difference in the DN-FN-relationship between areas was explained by differences in dietary composition. We therefore conclude that FN may be useful in predicting DN in diverse dietary situations regardless of the ratio of browse in the diet of free-ranging ungulates, but that dependence on agricultural pastures may hinder the utility of FN as an index of DN

Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma with High-Grade Transformation with Serous and Choriocarcinomatous Differentiation - A Case Report

A choriocarcinoma component with a malignant tumor is relatively rare. We present a case of an 85-year-old woman with mixed carcinoma, which was endometrioid adenocarcinoma with squamous differentiation, choriocarcinoma and a disseminated peritoneal nodule, which was papillary serous adenocarcinoma. The patient received surgery and conservative treatment. Twenty weeks after surgery, a recurring tumor appeared at the Douglas pouch. Histology showed that the recurring tumor was poorly differentiated carcinoma that was very different from the primary tumor. This case represents an unusual uterine corpus cancer with high-grade transformation with serous and choriocarcinomatous differentiation. This case also demonstrates the capacity of tumor cells to differentiate into divergent elements.</p